No need to worry…The Wicked White Witch is only a temporary visitor to Chatsworth, Derbyshire’s Stately Home and part of their Christmas Decorations Attraction for 2013. The White Witch is the villain in C.S.Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia… and in particular the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
For those unfamiliar with the story let me give a very brief resume…3 children are evacuated during the war to a house where they discover a wardrobe with a secret door that takes them to Narnia. The White Witch has bewitched Narnia so that is always winter but never Christmas…she also has the power to turn enemies into stone!.
On entering Narnia the children (Susan, Peter and Edmund) are befriended by the forest animals….but not all the animals can be trusted…..The Wolves are The White Witches ‘Secret Police’……
They are introduced to Aslan the Lion who has been kept a prisoner by the White Witch…..
The children befriend Aslan and arrange his escape. Collectively they all work together to defeat the White Witch and after a great battle they succeed in overthrowing her. After great celebrations the Children are Crowned, King Peter the Magnificent, Susan the Gentle Queen and King Edmund the Just. …..
So there you have it….The Wardrobe…….
The Wicked White Witch…….
and the hero Aslan the Lion……..
Christmas decorations bedeck the rest of the house and make it a splendid day out and together with the Narnia displays a very colourful day to remember…..
As with all Stately Homes you pay for the experience and like all Stately Homes no visitor can escape the visit to the Chatsworth Shop and as to be expected Christmas is the theme….
But this Statue rather caught my eye….for the rather unusual notice that had been thought prudent to add……..
The Statue had no name but I rather suspect that it was Mr. Darcy as it was strategically placed next to a display of Jayne Austen novels strongly featuring Mr. Darcy…another literary hero……much loved by the Ladies….or so I am told….. No accounting for taste!
13th December
© David Oakes 2013
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 
What did you diffrerent this time, David. There were no pictures following the mail alert like usual. (I nearly dropped you)
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Nothing different and by other comments folk have images. Could you try reloading as see what happens
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Wonderful, David…. I will send this on to a real fan of mr Darcy… 😀
As for the wicked witch…No one will say she isn’t a very pretty lady to look at. There you see beauty on the outside is not synonimous with the inside. 🙂 And yes, I loved both films!
This is wonderfully copies and you have brought a smile to my face. Thank you.
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Exactly so beautiful post, I enjoyed so much, Thank you dear David, have a nice weekend, love, nia
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Wonderful post, David. I still have a copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe…I’m going to have to pull it out for a re-read. I love the story.
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You had better..my truncated version had to miss a great deal out!
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That is fabulous David! My kids and I would SO enjoy the Christmas exhibit. One of our favorite books! Merry Christmas!! Robyn
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Reblogged this on An Ashbourne Voice and commented:
Always a fantastic way to get in the Christmas spirit. Looks spectacular
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Fabulous images, David. I’d love to visit whilst this exhibition is on. The wicked witch is very scary indeed. 😯
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It looks like you had as much fun visiting this as the folks did who set it up! As for the legendary Mr. Darcy, what did he have that you and I don’t–except for the “fair prospect” outside his window, of course…
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Never understood why I never had that magnetic attraction that Darcy created!……
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